Phantoms goalie Zapolski blanks Springfield Blues

Marc Menzione and Drew Satterly netted goals in Mahoning Valley's 3-0 victory.
BOARDMAN -- Goaltender Ryan Zapolski stopped all 39 shots he faced Saturday to lead the Mahoning Valley Phantoms to a 3-0 win over the Springfield Jr. Blues in a North American Hockey League game at The Ice Zone.
Marc Menzione and Drew Satterley scored goals and added an assist as the Phantoms posted a weekend sweep.
The Phantoms (29-15-4) set a franchise record with their 29th win.
The first period was scoreless and without penalties.
The first penalty didn't occur until 10:37 of the second period when Phantoms defenseman Craig Dulman hauled down Ryan Hernandez before Dulman suffered a deep laceration on his chin. He did not return. The Phantoms killed the penalty.
Deadlock broken
The Phantoms overcame some sloppy puck play, including some neutral zone turnovers, before they scored late in the second period with some strong forechecking.
Jake Roadhouse stole the puck along the left wing boards and quickly fed ahead to Milan Drevenak. Drevenak passed to Chris Fairbanks, who was charging in the slot. Fairbanks' initial shot was stopped by Blues goaltender Mike Garman.
But Fairbanks persisted and chopped away at the loose puck before trickling it past Garman for his seventh goal of the season, and the Phantoms led 1-0 with 1:43 remaining in the period.
At the end of the play, former Phantom Drew Fortney threw down Fairbanks behind the goal and was assessed a roughing penalty.
The power play continued into the third period. Though they didn't convert with the extra man, their pressure in the zone led to their second goal. Satterley controlled the puck in the high slot before playing it ahead to Anthony Ciraulo. Ciraulo moved to his right and made a quick pass to Menzione who was skating in from the right wing.
Menzione took the puck on his backhand to Garman's left and feathered a backhand past his right skate for goal number 25 on the season. At the :23 mark of the period, just six seconds after the penalty expired, the Phantoms got a big goal and now led 2-0.
Shutout preserved
Springfield, 22-20-4, who leads the NAHL with seven wins when trailing after two periods, tried to get back in the game. But the Phantoms' defense, and Zapolski, would have nothing of it.
The Blues' best chance came midway through the final period. On a two-on-one, Zapolski stoned Matt Staehely's shot in front of the net to keep Springfield scoreless for the second time in three games.
After the Blues pulled Garman in the final minute for an extra attacker, Menzione cleared the puck ahead to Satterley on the right wing at center ice. He skated into the zone and gently shot into an open net for his team-leading 26th goal of the season.
The Phantoms outshot Springfield 40-39 as Zapolski improved to 18-10-4.
Garman looked good again for the Blues, but fell to 12-12-2, despite making 37 saves.
The Phantoms play host to Cleveland today at 7 p.m. at The Ice Zone.